Safety stirrup



June 16, 1953 I 1'. c, EVANS 2,641,883

SAFETY STIRRUP Filed Dec. 26, 1950 Thoma '98 f'vcms ATTDRN EYS Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application December 26, 1950, Serial No. 202,585

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a safety stirrup for 1 use in riding horses.

This invention is an improvement over the safety stirrup shown and described in my Patent leased from a stirrup strap should the rider of the horse be thrown and catch his foot in the stirrup, the strap of the present invention being provided with springs which will prevent the strap from accidentally working loose from the stirrup strap, there being a means for maintaining the trip mechanism in its open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stirrup strap which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 1

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the stirrup constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational View of the stirrup;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3, but showing the position of the parts in open position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the position of the parts when the stirrup is disconnected;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the connection of the stirrup strap to the sleeve.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I designates a stirrup which may be fabricated of any suitable material. The side arms of the stirrup, adjacent their upper edges, are provided with slots or depressions 2, the depressions adapted to receive therein the removable rod 3. The rod 3 preferably has both of its ends threaded for the reception of nuts 4, whereby the ends of the stirrup, or the side arms thereof, will be maintained in proper spaced relation with respect'to each other. The rod 3 is centrally provided with a sleeve 5, the sleeve 5 adapted to receive the saddle or stirrup strap 6, Figures 2 and '7.

The numeral 1 designates the main connecting bar for the side arms of the stirrup. This bar passes through suitable openings in said side arms, and the opposite ends of the bar are threaded, as at 3, the threaded portions 8 adapted to receive suitable nuts 9, whereby the side arms of the stirrup may be adjusted toward or away from each other as desired.

The numeral l0 designates the yoke for the device.' This yoke isof substantially U-shaped formation and has its side arms provided with openings through which pass the securing rods I for the arms of the stirrup. The yoke is mounted for rotation upon the securing rod 1 and the upper extremities of the arms of the yoke are formed with slots or depressions I2, which, when the yoke is rotated in one direction, are adapted to engage with the rod 3 adjacent the opposite ends of the sleeve 5. The connecting member H of the yoke is arched and is arranged at an angular relation to the side arms of the yoke so that one of the edges of the connecting member is projected a suitable distance beyond the side arms of the yoke. This projecting portion is adapted to serve as an abutment-for the toe of the boot of the rider when the riders mount becomes unmanageable, and whereby the yoke will be rotated so as to bring its engaging portions away from the rod'3 to permit the stirrup to be removed or disconnected from therod 3 and from the saddle strap.

The safety stirrup of the present invention is threaded through a pair of springs l4 each of which has its upper end arranged in engagement with a slot l5, Figures 3 and 4, in the top of the stirrup I, and a collar I6 is circumposed on the fulcrum bar I and interposed between the pair of springs M. The opposite or lower end of the springs M are bent, as at 13, and engage the connecting member I I of the yoke In, the springs I4 serving to hold the yoke in position and preventing it from slipping back and releasing the stirrup until weight is thrown against it. This is a definite improvement over the stirrup of my upon friction to hold the yoke in place, while in the present invention the yoke is held in place by the springs [4.

There is further provided a spring I! which may be made of round or flat spring steel, and the spring I! is connected to the yoke H) by a suitable securing element, such as the rivet 18. The free end of the spring I'E is adapted to project through a slot 20 in the yoke, whereby the transverse end IE, or free end, of the spring I1 can engage the inside of the stirrup to thereby selectively lock the trip mechanism in its open position. Thus, when the stirrup is tripped, the yoke expands and will move beyond the edgeof the stirrup and the end I9 of the spring I! protrudes or extends through the slot 20, beyond the edge of the stirrup. This feature makes it 7 easier to again connect the apparatus after it has been tripped. Without this feature, it is difficult to fasten the straps to the rod 3.

Arranged on each end of the rod 3 is a plate 24, the plates 2| being each provided with a rectangular cutout or slot 22 for receiving therein the nut 9. This position of the plates 2| with the slots 22 insures that the parts will be properly aligned.

From the foregoing it is apparent that a safetystirrup has been provided which is constructed so that by manipulating the foot of the rider, the stirrup will easily and quickly become disconnected from the stirrup straps. Thus, in the event that the rider of the horse is thrown to the ground, there will be no danger of having his foot entangled in the stirrup and consequently being dragged along the ground by the animal.

The springs M of the stirrup prevent the yoke from accidentally rotating or pivoting, and the spring I? serves to lock the trip mechanism in open position.

I claim:

1. In combination, a stirrup having side arms provided with first slots at the upper edges thereof and second slots in said side arms below and at an angle to said first slots, a bar connecting the side arms together and located below and in vertical alignment with said first slots, a collar circumposed on said bar with its ends spaced from the inner faces of said side arms a rod seated in said first slots, a sleeve on said rod having its ends spaced from the inner faces of said side arms, and a U-shaped yoke rotatable within the arms and journaled upon said bar, said yoke including side arms provided with slots for receiving said rod, said yoke including an arched connecting member, and resilient means for preventing accidental rotation of said yoke, said resilient means embodying a pair of springs circumposed on said bar between the opposite ends of the collar and the inner faces of the side arms and said springs having their upper ends engaging in the second slots in the side arms of the said stirrup and their lower ends engaging the connecting member of the yoke, there being a slot in one of the side members of said yoke, and a fiat spring secured to said yoke and having a transverse end for projecting through said slot.

2. In combination, a stirrup having side arms provided with first slots at the upper edges thereof and second slots in said side arms below and at an angle to said first slots, a bar connecting the side arms together and located below and 'in vertical alignment with said first slots, a collar circumposed on said bar with its ends spaced from the inner faces of said side arms a rod seated in said first slots, a sleeve on said rod having its ends spaced from the inner faces of said side arms, a U-shaped yoke rotatable Within the arms and journaled upon said bar, said yoke including side arms provided with slots for receiving said rod, said yoke including an arched connecting member, resilient means for preventing accidental rotation of said yoke, said resilient means embodying a pair of springs circumposed on said bar between the opposite ends of the collar and the inner faces of the side arms and said springs having their upper ends engaging in the second slots in the side arms of the said stirrup and their lower ends engaging the connecting member of the yoke, there being a slot in one of the side members of said yoke, a fiat spring secured to said yoke and having a transverse end for projecting through said slot, and plates mounted on the ends of said rods for maintaining the parts in alignment.

THOMAS C. EVANS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,104,216 Ostwald July 21, 1914 1,323,549 Porter Dec. 2, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 14,729 Great Britain of 1892 

